Palm Springs Air Museum honors veterans with annual flower drop ceremony, flyover
Gavin Nguyen
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Air Museum honored those who made the ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day with its annual flower drop ceremony.
The event, which began at 10:00 a.m. with flight exhibitions, warbird rides, food trucks, and music, ended with its much-anticipated flower drop ceremony.
Speakers, like Sheriff Chad Bianco, La Quinta City Councilman Steve Sanchez, and Lee Wilson, Jr., the Vice Commander of the Palm Springs American Legion Post, spoke of the importance Memorial Day holds for the Coachella Valley.
Wilson, Jr. read the names of servicemembers killed in America’s conflicts from World War II to the present day in an emotional tribute.
“Those are your local Palm Springs fallen heroes. May their sacrifices never be forgotten,” he said to conclude the reading.
Fred Bell, Vice Chairman of the Palm Springs Air Museum, said of the servicemembers the museum was honoring, “These folks get up in the morning. They don’t say today is the day that I’m going to give my life for my country. And what we need to do is make sure that we don’t forget their names.”
In an emotional moment, Bell recounted, “Imagine if you had your… 18-year-old kid… that just didn’t come home. … We have to say thank you. And it’s our pleasure to be able to do that.”
After speeches concluded, the Air Museum’s fighters took to the skies, along with a PBJ Mitchell bomber – the Marine Corps variant of the iconic B-25 Mitchell. Also flying: the Air Museum’s C-47 Skytrain, as well as the only operational PB4Y-2 Privateer (N2871G) – the Coast Guard variant of the B-24 Liberator heavy bomber.
After the Skytrain and Privateer made several passes over the Air Museum, the Mitchell and fighters formed up and flew a Missing Man formation to honor the fallen.
The Mitchell then came back around, and, as its bomb bay doors opened, dropped red and white carnations over an ecstatic crowd. The Air Museum also used cannons to shoot more flowers into the sky from the ground. Attendees were allowed to pick the flowers up off the ground as the ceremony wrapped up.
According to the Air Museum, white carnations represent veterans from WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Red carnations represent those lost in more recent conflicts, like Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Local Gold Star Families were also honored with a dozen white roses.
Debbie Jimenez, a Palm Springs resident who has attended the Flower Drop ceremony several times in the past, said even at an event she’s experienced before, the tribute brought out her emotions.
“It’s hard to hold back the tears, but this makes me appreciate our freedom more because that’s how we get here and that’s how we get to enjoy life every day.”